Thinner...Greener...Richer

Financial Status

2009-02-04T08:10:00.002-05:00

It's not often I post about the 'richer' part of my goals...but I've had some relative success with my writing lately, if you consider a piddling to be relative:)

I decided that I really needed to put more time and effort into writing articles on Helium.com. The way to earn money on this site is by having writing and rating "stars" - the more stars you have, the more cents you earn. The higher rated your articles are, the more cents you learn. So I have been taking the time to revise some of my lower-rated articles (known on Helium as leapfrogging) and was pleasantly surprised to see most of them then climb up a few notches, in some cases by leaps and bounds.

In addition, Helium now pays you an "upfront" payment each month, calculated by the number of new articles you've written (low-rated or not) and how many writing stars you have. I currently have 2 writing stars (out of a possible 5 or 6) and this month I wrote 7 articles. So, $7. If I were to write 20 articles in a month, I would earn $20 (probably more, since writing that many would up my star level.)

Helium also has a Marketplace section, where publishers list specific titles they need an article for, and then you write for it. You are able to see how your article ranks numerically among the others, although you can't read the other submissions like you can with regular Helium articles. The publisher then picks an article to purchase. This month I sold an article written about how to take care of pregnant dogs. It sold for $24.

The final way to earn money at Helium is to participate in the writing contests. Every two weeks there are topics, and within each topic, 20 titles. For each title you write to, you earn or lose points based on how well your article is ranking. The contests can be lucrative, with first prize for each topic being $60. This month, one of the topics was Babysitting (think: "How to Hire a Babysitter" or "Leaving Your Child with Their First Babysitter). I wrote to about 8 of the titles, and 6 of my 8 articles were ranked number 1. Meaning, I was winning the contest!! I have since been booted to 2nd place (grrrrr) and the door for writing is closed, but there is still one more week of rating left. So its possible I could move back to first or down to third (or lower.) Still, it's a lot of fun and a good way to exercise my writing muscles. If I should win 2nd place, I will win $40. Which would make my total earnings from Helium about $70 for this month. It's not a living by any means, but it's something. Especially when you consider that's from an average of 1 hour of work a day, maybe 15-20 days of the month.

Semi-Success at CVS

2009-01-29T14:17:00.002-05:00

I did the CVS thing today, and while I feel that I did score a few deals (and definitely scored some ECBs) that I didn't do as well as I have in the past. I spent $50, although I did get 2 packs of diapers, so right there is $20...

Here is the run-down...for $50 I got:

* 2 jumbo packs of Huggies

* 1 50-ct bottle of Aleve

* 1 8-pk AAA batteries

* 1 4-pk C batteries

* 1 bag of fun-sized York Peppermint patties (ooops, how'd they get in there??)

* 12-ct package of Scott tp

* 1 36-ct box of tampons

* 2 of those magnetic photo frames (since the little one has broken all the hard plastic ones!!)

So, while $50 seems like a lot for CVS, I did get a hefty return with $11 in ECBs for next time. And I can pretty much always justify spending a bit for things that we are always going to need (diapers, toilet paper, and batteries of all sizes for the gazillion toys our son has). We also go through Aleve like its candy in this house, since its the preferred pain reliever for both my husband and I. Tampons are always needed...and sometimes, so are Peppermint Patties:)

Better Late Than Never!

2009-01-13T19:10:00.002-05:00

So I had intended to write out my New Years resolutions as they pertained to the topics of this blog before New Years...or at the very least, while January was still in the single digits. But alas, time has gotten the best of me so here I go...my New Years Resolutions as of January 13th!

1. Avoid Plastic Water Bottles. I actually have one triumph under this resolution already--I purchased an aluminum water bottle from www.mysigg.com. A bit pricier than the average bottle, I figured it would be worth it to have one that would stand the test of time, and--having spent $15 dollars on it (I purchased one on ebay)--I would feel compelled to use it. So far I am extremely happy with this purchase. It makes me feel cool:) I'm not saying I won't purchase water in a bottle ever...if I'm somewhere like a concert or a fair and I'm thirsty, I'm going to buy a drink. But no more buying cases of water...even if I was reusing them a few times its still bad.

2. Up The Ante on Exercise. I have to say the month of December was a wash. I barely worked out (aside from a few leisurely walks here and there, during which no sweat was broken) and I've paid the price to the tune of 2# gained over the holidays. The first week of January was also a bust...half was spent on vacation and the other half being lazy. Starting this week I'm 2 for 2 and hoping the trend continues. My husband is planning on investing in an elliptical machine, and while I'm not looking forward to the giant eyesore that will be hogging space in our basement, I am looking forward to another option for exercise. Walking/running is great--except when it's below 30 or above 75, which is pretty much half the year. DVR'd workouts suffice, but are boring as hell. I've done elliptical training before, and I do enjoy it, and its definitely a calorie burner. And, if G2 lives up to his word, our small flat screen tv will finally come out of the box its been living in for 2 years and be mounted on the wall in front of the elliptical. Time will tell...

3. Cloth Napkins. We have them, 8 beauteous striped napkins that I believe we got as a wedding present...and have been used about 2 times ever. 1 of those times was the other night, when our fellow greenie friends were over for some sushi and taboo. It was the exact amount of effort as getting out the paper ones, and throwing a few napkins that weigh less than air in the laundry is also no trouble. I think investing in another set to ensure that we don't run out between laundry days is in my future....

4. CVSing, Bargain Hunting, Couponing. Another habit that has fallen wayside due to the holidays. Why is it so hard to keep on track during December? Nonetheless, taking the time to investigate deals, find coupons, and replenish our stock pays off. I made my first CVS run in over a month this Monday, and for $32 I got some serious loot: 2 10-pks of batteries, 2 boxes of cereal, a large thing of mouthwash, 2 bottles of dish detergent, a box of trash bags, a bottle of Aquaphor for my poor chapped hands, and 2 bottles of shampoo. AND $8 in ECBs for my next run. Not bad.

5. Composting. I have been meaning to look into this. It seems that with the right set up it will be little or no extra work and will cut down on disposed trash. I need to figure out if a real compost pile is do-able, or if a fancy schmancy composting bin would be better. We do live in the woods, but my main concern is that my Labrador Retriever will see the compost pile as his own daily buffet.

6. Saving My Money vs Spending It. We have a pretty rigorous budget in place, and each week of the month I write out a bunch of checks and give it all to the bank and various utility companies. We are slowly improving our grocery habits by attempting to make a menu for the week and stick to it. (We could be doing better in that department.) My main goal here will be with "my" money...ebay earnings, writing earnings, "extra" things like rebate checks or Christmas money. I have the tendency to spend this money on "stuff"...basically I can piss it away in a matter of hours. Already by not spending the cash I received for Christmas on clothes and whatnot (as I did last year, running through the Tannersville Outlets like a crazy person) I have more than enough money set aside for a projected trip to visit my sister later this year.

That's it, for now. Some of these goals are simple and easy...the kind of resolutions they say you're "supposed" to make, some are more open-ended and vague...the kind that are harder to keep. It will be interesting (to me at least) to look back on this in 1 year and see how I've done...

Happy (belated) New Year!!

Green Chic

2008-12-17T07:58:00.004-05:00

One of the biggest problems I seem to encounter in my joint quests of being thinner, richer, and greener is that things that support one of those areas directly contradict another. Some examples...

* Eating green and organic might make me skinny but it is ridiculously expensive.

* A LOT of green things are more expensive, i.e. cleaning products, clothes, sheets, etc

* Something I aspire towards (writing a book) could make me richer, but printing books certainly isn't green...

Those are just a few examples. I can only thing of a few of my changed practices that are conducive to all three of goal areas--one of which is running. Its free, it's green (no travelling to a gym or purchasing something like an elliptical machine), and it definitely made me skinnier.

Anyhow, I'm reading a great book right now called "Green Chic--Saving the Earth In Style" by Christie Matheson. I received this book as a Christmas gift from my wonderful friend Tara, along with a year's subscription to "Green Guide." Anyhow I am truly enjoying this book for several reasons.

1. I appreciate well written and humorous prose. Let's face it, there are lots of topics (i.e. being green, personal finance) that can be pretty boring to read about if just the facts are listed. This book is funny, engaging, and I'd even go so far as to call it a page-turner.

2. For each green tip it explains WHY you should do what the author suggests, and HOW to do it. I particularly like the HOW: its great to say "Well, I'd really like to purchase some organic sheets next time" and quite another to actually find them in your local WalMart.

3. My favorite thing, however, is that the book is intended for REAL people, i.e. ME. People who care about the environment, who want to make changes in their lifestyle, but who don't want to live in a mud hut and give up certain pleasures of life (such as blow dryers.) One of the biggest annoyances I find in reading green blogs and green literature is that there seems to be a certain snootiness amongst super-green people towards people like me. Sort of a haughty "Oh you think you're saving the earth because you have 4 canvas bags and you hang 1 load of laundry a week? You naive simpleton!"

Green Chic addresses that every little bit counts, and we can all find ways to change things in our life that will positively affect the environment. She doesn't gloss over the fact that yes, the earth is in bad shape and WE are the reason, but she also doesn't preach or use scare tactics. She simply advises many ways to green-ify your life while still remaining chic. Although I'd be hard-pressed to refer to myself as "chic", I have a feeling this will be a book I will keep coming back to in the weeks and months and years to come.

Thanks Tara!

He Will Teach You To Be Rich

2008-12-13T08:17:00.004-05:00

Like everyone, G2 and I are feeling the strains of a shitty economy. We recently decided several things...

* It would be beneficial for me to get some type of paying job. Multiple ideas were thrown out, but complications stem from several factors.

Neither of us wants to put G3 in daycare. Besides that, going back to my job as a vet tech would basically clear me about $10 a week after daycare and gas. So not worth it.
Gabe's job is not time-specific. Meaning, he does not punch out at 5pm on the dot every day. And he is "on call" every other weekend and 2 weeks a night. So me getting an evening/weekend job is also pretty limited.
Something that I could do from home would be ideal, such as babysitting another kid or a legitimate type of work from home job. Legitamate being the key word. Scams are rampant.

* In lieu of getting a "real" job (or until I find one) I need to be more aggressive with eBay and my writing. I have made a small amount of money writing for Helium (about $116 total) but by making myself write at least 1 (or more) articles a day I can certainly up my chances. G2 also suggested entering more contests and submitting to more magazines.

* We also made a list of ways to cut back on the amount of money we spend each week. Since we've made a lot of snippets over the last year, there isn't a whole lot of room, but there's some. We're not quite at the point of completely lowering our standard of living, but yet there are a lot of things we could do to save a buck (or 20, or more). Our main area is food. We spend a ridiculous amount of money on food, even with me CVSing and couponing and all that. We buy expensive, top of the line ingredients. We almost always buy fresh vs frozen. We throw a lot of leftovers away. And, twice to three times a week we buy food from a restaurant. Tuesday nights are "take out night", Thursday night is "G2's Night Out" and its pretty likely that at some point over any given weekend we will eat a meal out. I also do something social involving eating out about 1-2 times a month as well.

So, we've come up with our list, and while G2 is not willing to give up his weekly night out (as well as me not wanting to give out my random Girls' Night Out) we have agreed that take-out can be more sporadic and that we need to STICK to the grocery list, buy generic where it really doesn't matter (such as our toddler son's snacks...I know, we're terrible. Gourmet cheese for us, store-brand crackers for G3.) There are also a few other household things on the list (but we do pretty well in that dept.) as well as changing our cell and satellite packages to cheaper ones.

ANYHOW, the point of this post (you knew I'd get here eventually) is that when I sat down to make our list, I first googled "ways to save money". And I came across a GREAT blog, that I have read almost all of in my spare time over the last few days, and plan to add to the list of blogs I read regularly. Check out http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/. Its written by a 20-something Indian guy and is geared towards younger, college educated people, but its full of great advice, challenges and ways to--you got it--become rich. The really generalized theme is that instead of focusing on the economy and the world at large, focus on how much money YOU can save.

My husband has a ton of personal finance books, most of which can put me to sleep simply by looking at the cover. This blog is actually entertaining and a "good read"...as well as full of important and smart advice. I highly advise everyone to check it out!!

Update (and CVS)

2008-12-09T15:37:00.004-05:00

I've been really terrible about blogging here lately...I guess I just feel like I haven't had much to talk about in the whole thinner-greener-richer spectrum of life...it's the holidays, a notable time of excess in all of those areas.

But I did go to CVS today, because after not doing it for oh, about a month or so, I noticed that it had for sure been making an impact on our grocery bill. Stocking up on things like diapers, cat food, and toothpaste while they're cheaper/on sale was definitely helping us not spend nearly as much at the grocery store. As we head into a recession I'm realizing that playing the CVS game, bargain shopping, and coupon clipping are not just lovely little ways for this housewife to pass her time. (You know, 'cause I have so much of it...) In reality now is the time to be thrifty, snatch up good deals, and cut out unneccesary spending.

Anyhow, at CVS this week they had a few good deals. Here are the two that I got:

* Huggies Jumbo Packs of diapers were on sale for $10 a piece. THEN if you spent $25 on Huggies products, you received $5 ECBs. So (essentially) 90 diapers (3 packs) for $25. Not bad.

* Duracell Batteries were on sale for a large pack for $15-something...and then you got $5 ECBS if you spent over $15 on Duracell. So, something like 24 batteries (which go like hotcakes in this house) for $10.

So now I have $10 ECB to get me back in "the game." Go me.

Confessions...

2008-11-21T16:41:00.002-05:00

Aside from being a bad blogger recently, I've been a bad thin-green-rich person as well. Its not that I've given up my mission, but I've definitely tossed aside a lot of things and let the wool be pulled over my eyes on others. So, in the interest of purging my guilt: my list of confessions.

I have used half a roll of paper towels in the last month. This does not bode very well for the remaining 8 or so rolls to last me the next year! In my defense my husband is responsible for some of the usage, and my dog puked not once, but twice. But other times I simply felt too lazy to go to the drawer (5 feet away) that contains rags and get one, wet it at the sink, and use it. Bad, lazy, wasteful!

I have used a significant amount of my remaining stock of Swiffer wet pads and Clorox Clean-Up wipes. Again, no excuse but laziness and, paradoxically, being super busy lately. I have been a lot better about using rags and mopping with a bucket of water instead of the Swiffer, but there have been quite a few incidences that I thought to myself "f*** it". No excuse, again!

Running is over, for now. With the exception of any mild days that may make an appearance over the next 4 or so months, running is out. If it was just me I could stick with it (and probably would, because I do enjoy getting outside) but I think anything below 40 is too cold for my bundle of joy, even if he is bundled up. I have resorted to my old DVR'd workouts and Tae Bo, but since its a lot harder to do crunches and kickboxing with your toddler than it is to strap them into a stroller, I'm somewhat limited. Meaning--nap time is when I now need to squeeze in exercising, along with cleaning, writing, and showering. Since nap time is (average) about 2 hours long, somethings gotta give now and than. I'm trying to make a conscious effort to at least do a half hour work-out when I'm pressed for time...especially with the holiday season coming up!

I need to get a drying rack. Or get something in my laundry room. Though I have been hanging clothes out when I can, they aren't really drying. And, today I went out to check them and found the whole line of towels and rags frozen solid! So, I admit I have been using the dryer WAY more often in the last 3 or so weeks. I have the perfect spot to hang two bars in my laundry room, and that coupled with a drying rack should be more than enough. I just need to DO it. You would think with my next confession I would be all over having to run to Walmart and, you know, buy things.

I keep buying things. Its hard this time of year. I know we're in a recession, and I know that my son is too young to remember this Christmas. I know that I don't "need" a new wreath for the door, new stocking for the whole family, or a Magnadoodle for G3. But lately, I've been bad about spending, and I've been TERRIBLE about using coupons and CVSing. I had started to develop a really nice stockpile of non-perishables and know I missed a lot of good deals. But--sometimes life is just too busy! I really need to sit down and start shopping the way I had been for groceries and necessities.

My final confession...I don't want to be green with Christmas wrapping paper! Well, in my head I do but in my heart I want to wrap everyone's presents in brilliant holiday paper adorned with bows and ribbon, or stuffed into decorative bags with oodles of tissue paper. I recently wrote an article on Helium about ways to be green during the holidays, and a big focus of it was re-using materials like newspaper, paper bags, and previously used wrapping paper, and skipping the embellishments. So why don't I want to follow my own advice!!??

Okay. Confessions over. I promise to be better!!

Self-Evaluation

2008-11-07T08:06:00.002-05:00

Since its been a few months of concentrating my efforts on being thinner, richer, greener, I thought it would be a good idea to sort of evaluate how I've been doing, what I've learned, what was easy and what is harder than expected...

Running: My initial goal was to exercise 5 times a week, on top of running in the evening with my husband. This has changed a bit, because (1) My husband stopped running for awhile due to a myriad of health factors, mainly a herniated disk and (2) Its now dark at 5pm so our days of post-work running have come to a close, at least until March or so. I'm still continuing to aim for 5 workouts a week and its constantly an uphill battle. I generally get 3-4 workouts a week, 5 is an excellent effort and does happen sometimes. Unfortunately, slacking also occurs, mostly due to extenuating circumstances like going away for a weekend--and I feel it when I do not exercise.

"Thinner" Goals in General: You may have noticed I don't have a whole lot of these. Other than diet and exercise, there isn't much short of liposuction I can do about my shitty metabolism and my post baby flab. Perhaps I need some more specific goals in the future...such as "never eat french fries or cookies ever!" Yeah.

Now onto the greener goals...since these seem to be the most plentiful...

Dryer Usage: By far, cutting out the dryer usage has been the easiest and reaped the most tangible benefits. Surprisingly, I found that I enjoyed the process of hanging clothes out to dry and using the dryer only for necessary items. Our electric bill is significantly lower. I do need to get a drying rack for indoors for the winter, but then again, I think as long as there's no precipitation there's no reason not to hang clothes out in the winter and just touch them up with 10 minutes in the dryer...we shall see...

Going Wipe less: Found a few glitches in my plan to go wipe less. 1. I started doing some minor potty training with my son. Cleaning out the potty (human waste) and then throwing the rag in the laundry? Not going to happen, at least not with the extra gross clean-up jobs. Also, during a party or gathering of people, its really hard to limit your usage. About a half roll of paper towels was used in ONE night. (The other half had been sporadically used over a few months.) The dishwasher was run multiple times, and although I had visions of not using paper plates, I did anyhow b/c I didn't feel like loading and unloading the dishwasher yet again. But really, I'm not going to ask my guests to watch how many paper towels they use or count the squares of toilet paper.

Conserving Energy: My husband and I are getting better about this. We used to be horrible ones for having every light in the house on, unnecessary things plugged in, and taking ridiculously long showers (well, that was more my husband than me!) I think seeing it reflected in our electric bill--we can view it online at any time and see how much energy we've used) has helped a lot. But we could be doing better.

Recycling: Remember, when I started this, we didn't even recycle? Its amazing how many alcohol bottles, I mean recyclables, we go through in a month. Amazing.

Future endeavors: Solar panels. We might have to work on the "richer" part of this blog before that happens. Compost pile. Haven't gotten there yet, and must research to see if things like wild animals and unruly dogs will prevent a compost pile from happening. We shall see!

And finally, the richer goals. I know people laugh but the CVSing has made a difference, and I've changed my mentality about shopping a bit--stocking up when I can and comparison shopping a bit. I have put a lot more energy into writing for helium.com, and it has paid off a bit. And hopefully will continue to do so. Right now it doesn't behoove our family for me to go outside of the home to get a job--we both feel its important for our son to have a parent home with him for now, after all, in a short year and a half he'll be in preschool (sob!) And, my "trade" of being a veterinary technician would probably just cover childcare--unfortunately we aren't lucky enough to have a family caregiver (read: free babysitter) locally. So, although my income from eBay and writing and what I save through shopping conservatively is slim, I do feel it has made a difference.

Let's Talk About Being Wasteful

2008-10-29T19:42:00.003-04:00

So my friend Ray--ever the supporter of all things green and frugal--gave me this book. It was published in the olden days (in this case, 1984) and is part of a series of books that were (I think) intended to help teach kids about important things. I think I had one called "Let's Talk About
Sharing". Anyhow, we both noted the funny thing about this book is that of all the reasons they cite for being NOT wasteful, protecting the environment isn't one of them.

For example, the book illustrates how taking a long shower uses all the hot water...and then you have nothing but cold. Or, how using large amounts of shampoo means that then, you have none. Nothing about how it costs more or how its not very eco-conscious.

Amazing the difference in the world in a mere 24 years...

A Very Successful CVS Week

2008-10-21T10:47:00.003-04:00

Well, I knew it was going to pay off sooner or later, and finally a week came when there were some very good deals on things I would be buying whether CVS had them on sale or not. I don't have all the exact numbers due to accidentally throwing out my receipt, but here's the skinny based on what I remember:

* 1 pack of Huggies diapers: on sale for $9.99, plus coupon for $1.50 off

* 4 packs of Huggies wipes: on sale for $2.79 (I think) plus a $0.50 off coupon for each

* 2 boxes of Q-tips: on sale for $2-something

By purchasing $25.00 worth of the above products (I think the total for them was about $26.00) I received $10.00 back in ECBs. Yes, I'm aware that buying individual boxes of wipes is not very green, but the interest of a good deal won over here. I also purchased:

* 2 cans of Progresso soup: $1.99 but they were B1G1 so about $1.00 each. I eat this kind of soup constantly for lunch, and in hindsight it would have been smart of me to get a few more.

* 3 bags of Brach's candy corn: I forget how much they were but I received an equal amount back in ECB's so they ended up being free

* 3 cans of Red Bull for $5.00: This saved me roughly a dollar, but since we're having a party this weekend and its foreseeable I'll need a pick-me-up to dump my vodka into, this was a likely purchase no matter what

* 4 boxes of Kleenex: on sale for $0.89 a piece, had a coupon for $1.00 off 4.

So, my grand total after coupons (I also had $5.00 in ECBs to cash in) was about $33.00. And then I received $12.00 in ECB's back, making my expenditure for the week $21. Normally the diapers and wipes alone would have been more than that, so I was pretty happy with this...

Helium...Making Me Richer!

2008-10-20T17:02:00.003-04:00

A while back I stumbled across a website called www.helium.com. It's basically an online forum for freelance writing. Anything and everything you can possibly think of to write about--its there. The general idea being that someone (say, a magazine editor) is looking for an article about such and such and can come to this website, search, and come up with a bunch of articles. Part of the way the website works is peer rating--you are supposed to read others' articles and rate them. So lets say there are 55 articles on Helium about dangerous dog breeds. And the editor of "Dog Fancy" comes looking for an article on dangerous dog breeds. And instead of reading 55 articles, this editor just reads the top 5. And yours just happens to be in the top 5, and just happens to be the one the editor likes. Sweet! You've just sold an article.

Helium also has tons of contests, message boards, and freelance writing opportunities. There is also the Marketplace, which consists of specific titles submitted by specific publications. These are topics that are for certain going to put a little bit of cash into your pocket. You also earn a piddling from Helium just for your article being on there (for example, I have now earned $2.37 for the first article I ever wrote--about a year ago.)

So--Helium sounds like a great place for me, right? I like to write. I think I am fairly good at writing. Writing comes very easily to me. I'm not good at things that require extra work, discipline, or going outside of my box too much. But I am good at what I know. And I can write an article on a topic I am familiar with in roughly a half hour or so. Which is very conducive to my other job (G3's caretaker.)

Anyhow, I started with Helium about a year ago. I would write a few articles, slack off for a bit, write a few more. I found it fun, cathartic, and it was exciting when one of my articles would inch closer to the top of the pack. Over the summer I totally stopped writing, mostly just because of life--being busy, running around after my little boy, going on weekend trips.

Anyhow, after my recent failed attempt to step out of my box and sell candles (again, "attempt" is a strong word, I know) I made the decision that I need to make more of an effort to earn a little cash. EBay immediately came to mind, and I decided to start writing more often on Helium.

In the past two weeks I've probably written about 8 or so articles. Since I'm on the money-making path, I wrote strictly for titles listed in the Marketplace. AND today...not one, but TWO of my articles were purchased, by two separate publications! I've never heard of either of them, and my grand total of earnings from both was just under $60.00...but what a motivator!

Go me:)

Failed Attempt at Getting Richer

2008-10-13T07:46:00.003-04:00

Okay "attempt" is a bit of a strong word for this...

I'm not sure if I have mentioned on here that I belong to an online "mommy group" that formed after we all became regular posters on Babycenter.com--the "due in July 2007" boards. Its a very tight-knit group of women--I would 100% consider them my close friends. I would probably go above and beyond to help one of them if needed, and I know they've got my back.

We talk about and share everything, and about a year ago one of our "mommies" joined Gold Canyon Candles as an independant demonstrator in effort to bring in more income for her family. She's been wildly successful with this (basically, she sells candles in the same manner that one might sell Avon or jewelry or gourmet food.) She has become so successful that she's inspired a number of us to try this candle business out. I should also mention she's become so successful that she's put in a gigantic, impressive in-ground pool with a waterfall.

Anyhow, awhile back another "mommy" joined under her and has done the candle business in a more limited scope, but she too has been successful. This week, there was a lot of discussion on our boards about becoming an independant demonstrator and before I knew, 3 other mommies had signed up. One was a SAHM mom like me (who's preggo again!), the second is a working mom, and the third is a mom with 3 kids who is in school working towards being an RN. As in all of them are definitely busier than I.

At first I just thought it was an interesting discussion, and although I was inclined to give it a try, I was holding back mainly because...I'm not really a salesperson. I don't really have enough local friends to see myself having a party, and I personally don't really like it when people try to sell me stuff. Still, the idea of extra income sounded good, and I kept telling myself Why don't you just try it? My friend (we'll call her Chris) was extremely encouraging, and when she said "you can basically do almost everything without ever leaving your computer" I was hooked.

For about an hour.

I sat down on Friday night with a glass of wine and my laptop, debit card in hand, ready to sign up, create my website, and order my sampler kit! I was excited! Until I immediately hit a wall and needed Chris's help. Over the next hour, after about 15 texts back and forth to Chris, I was slowly starting to realize...I don't want to sell candles!!! I had signed up, paid my $55, and I didn't want to go any further. It was too complicated (I'm sure being tired and tipsy while doing this was not the best laid plan, but oh well...) Chris was totally and utterly helpful, and when I shamefully told her I wanted to quit she wasn't upset with me, which was good.

So, things I've learned:

1. Weight the pros and cons and make sure I really want to do something BEFORE charging it to my debit card!!
2. Listen to myself. Never along the line did I really feel like I wanted to do this, but it sounded good and there's always the tiniest bit of guilt of not having an income, despite the fact that I DO have a job...
3. My friend Chris rocks.

So anyhow. No more home businesses or candle-selling. I'll stick to what I know--writing, and hope that in my ventures I will come across something that makes me a bit of cash (um, maybe this blog?) But I do want to put a shameless plug in for my girls who were brave enough to start this up. So far I only have one of their websites, so here it is. If you want a candle, need a gift for someone, or just want to help a SAHM starting up her home business...GO HERE:

Cortney's Candle Website

Jen's Candle Shop

Back in the Game

2008-10-07T08:35:00.004-04:00

The CVS game that is. I suppose there are some people who find this game silly (after all, is it really worth the piddling I'm saving?) but I think it is worth it, and I'll tell you why in just a minute. First, the CVS loot of the week. I'll admit the last few weeks I haven't really "CVS'd", just stopping in to pick up 1 or 2 items I use normally that happened to be on special. But this week:

Scott 12 pack toilet paper: Regularly $11.99/On sale for $6.99 with card/coupon for $1 off=$5.99 spent

Bic Soleil Razor: Reg. $6.99/On sale for $5.99 with card/coupon for $2.00 off=$3.99 spent

Colgate Toothpase: Reg $1.30/On sale for $.99 with card/coupon for $1.00=FREE!!

Head and Shoulders: Reg $5.89/On sale for $4.99 with card=$4.99 spent

I also had an ECB rewards coupon for $3.50 off, and I received a total of $5.00 in ECB back (plus a coupon for $4.00 off $20.00 of Playskool items...which probably won't be used, but still.) Anyhow, after using coupons and factoring in the "money" I got back, I technically got the above 4 items for $6.74. That's not too bad, right?

After hitting CVS I moved on to the grocery store. I was inevitably going to spend less money today because I was shopping alone (i.e. without my husband) but I was impressed that I got a week's worth of provisions for around $69.00. I know Money Saving Mom feeds her family of 4 on $35 a week...but I don't think we're there yet, actually I don't think we'll ever be there. But we usually spend between $100 and $120 a week, so $69.00 is pretty good to me! This included ingredients for a sirloin steak dinner. I think not "needing" to get things every week allows me to buy what's on sale to stock up and the fresh items I need (i.e. milk, produce, meat.) To make this week even sweeter, I then used my gas points at Giant (not sure how that works but basically they give you cents off gas after spending x amount of money at the grocery store) for a full tank of gas at just $3.17 a gallon. Not bad at all.

One final note, I found a blog of interest: Cousin Yellowstone. This guy (I think its a guy) picks up recyclable trash as sport. Pretty noble.

Going Wipeless...

2008-10-01T07:58:00.002-04:00

I'm about to make a serious change in our lifestyle that will hopefully eliminate both some waste and save us a few bucks.

I'm going wipeless.

No, not giving up the toilet paper (and probably not the paper towels, but more in a minute on that) but I am going to change my methods of cleaning by switching out all my convenient wipe-type products and go back to the method that people used for eons...rags.

Seems like a simple enough habit but there's a reason why wipes of every kind sell like hot-cakes. The convenience factor is high. Pull out a wipe, clean the intended part of the house with it, toss it. No mess, no fuss, and a new clean wipe every time. I've known for a long time that such products are really unnecessary, that they pollute the earth, and cost a ton more than regular cleaners. But I've sort of ignored those thoughts, kind of like I ignore the little voice in my head that tells me french fries are bad for me. Somewhere along the line, I've convinced myself that wipes are the best thing since sliced bread and french fries count as a vegetable serving.

Yesterday, though, I was reading an article on AOL; it was basically readers' comments on the 41 things that are a complete waste of money. One, of course, was wipes, and the way it was worded was "it's basically like paying money for your trash." Something about that hit me in a different way...and set me on my new adventure of wipeless cleaning.

There are three types of wipes I use. The first is Clorox wipes, which are the best thing in the world to a clean freak. They're good for everything from counters to toilet seats to sinks--the smell of Clorox working is so powerful you can practically see germs curling up and dying. I love these things. As someone who likes it clean and also someone with a child, dog, and husband (and cat, but she keeps herself clean) I rely on them greatly. I will say that since my efforts to go green came about, I've cut down on the wipes quite a bit...but not completely. I still have 3.5 containers of these floating around the house. I am going to ration their use to serious situations--basically times when I am so crunched for time I really don't have the extra two seconds to scrub a little harder. But--when they're gone, they're gone. I have pretty much kept a container in each bathroom and the kitchen since about 2002 or whenever they came out. I've instead stocked each area with some rags and a bottle of the Clorox Anywhere (which another reader told me is quite easy to make by diluting regular Clorox vs buying the slightly more expensive sprays--may try this in the future).

The next wipe is the Swiffer. I know they are ridiculously expensive but one can't deny the convenience of attaching a cloth to your Swiffer mop, mopping, and then throwing it away. It is for sure less work than the bucket and regular mop. I use Swiffer a lot. I have for a long time and its also going to be a tough one to say good-bye to. And, unlike the Clorox wipes, I have just 3 single Swiffer wet wipes left...and when they are gone, they're gone. I do have a sponge mop, and I bought a second sponge mop for upstairs for about $7.00 (which is about the cost of a container of Swiffer wipes, ironically.) Buying replacement mop heads is pretty inexpensive. I also had the brainstorm of attaching a wet rag to my Swiffer mop in the same fashion as the wipes and directly spraying the floor with floor cleaner. I attempted this method in my bathroom yesterday and I have to say it went well, and was only about 10% more effort than the regular old Swiffer.

The final type of wipe I use are the Mr. Clean Magic Reach ones. I love these just because the wand makes it easy to clean the entire tub without a lot of bending and stretching, but again--its nothing I can't do with a rag and some tub cleaner. I have none of these types of wipes left so I'll be going straight to the greener method.

The two types of wipes I'm not quite ready to do away with are baby wipes and paper towels. Baby wipes are pretty essential--I've heard you can make them but you use super soft paper towels to do it, so isn't that just as bad? I do buy the refill packages instead of a new tub each time, so I suppose the plastic used is a bit less.

For paper towels--I would say that we've cut down on our usage quite a bit simply by me alone deciding to use rags in place of them as much as possible. My husband purchased some snazzy microfiber rags for cleaning the inside of the car, which was probably his biggest use for paper towels. I'm not saying I won't still use them on occasion--sometimes there are things to clean up that just need to be thrown away (dog vomit is one of those.) But I have consciously tried to keep my usage to 1 roll or less a month--and I've been surprised how easy it is. I have about 10 rolls stored up so it will be interesting to see if I can go a year before needing more.

So the overview: I would say the average cost of each type of wipe is between $3.00 and $7.00 (more if you're buying in bulk.) The Clorox Magic Reach wipes come like 8 in a pack, so I mean--that's totally a waste, right? Consider that yesterday I spent about $12 on a mop, an extra mop head, and rags. (Walmart has an 80-pack of rags for $3.00.) $12 would probably not have bought me 1 package of each of the 3 types of wipes. I realize I will have to replace the mop head occasionally (okay, often) but its still less waste. And, at about $2.00 a head, less cost.

Stay tuned for updates on how this transition goes for me...I'm hoping as easily as switching to hanging my laundry has been--I thought that would be such a hassle but it really hasn't been, I've cut down dryer useage by 75%, and I'm technically preserving the life of our clothes since dryer lint is apparently clothing falling apart, bit by bit...

The 130's

2008-09-29T07:53:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to post on a small personal goal that I reached this past week--stepping onto the scale and seeing the needle waver above, but then decide to stay, in the 130's.

Actually this isn't really a "small" personal goal, its a huge one. I haven't been in the 130's in years, save for a brief time after my wedding when--depressed by my arm fat in the pictures--I embarked on Weight Watchers. (Side note: I would gladly endorse this program--mainly because it works. At least it did for me the 3 times I did it, and just about everyone else I know who's ever tried it.)

Anyhow, reaching the 130's sort of brings full-circle a weight loss odyssey that began about a year ago at roughly 170 lbs. Yeah, it was baby weight, but it was still ugly, scary, I-hate-myself flab. That didn't melt off. That took its sweet time deciding that I no longer needed it to nourish my baby (and let's face it, I never really need 50-excess pounds to grow a baby). This is really one of the first times in my life that I have consistently and painstakingly stuck with something for a long time and...wow...reaped the benefits.

So. Running. Working out. Eating healthy and limiting my poisons to weekends and/or special events (you know, cookies...french fries...beer...all the good stuff.) Realizing my metabolism sucks big time and exercise AND diet are the only way to get weight off (and keep it off...I have noticed that when a busy weeks crops up and running gets benched that I feel it.)

And, I'm not done. I realize that just because I hit the 130's one morning--naked and with an empty stomach and bladder--doesn't mean I won't slink back into the 140's. I still have a huge issue of excess skin around my waist...I'm not convinced I can't do anything about it, but, um, I'm not exactly lining up for plastic surgery either. I'm probably, at some point, going to give into baby lust and get myself knocked up again, thus beginning the process all over (though hopefully the shuddering I experience when remember post-baby-body will be enough to keep me in line.)

Okay, end of post...I think my first in awhile on the "thinner" part of thinner-greener-richer. I suppose now and then you have to pat yourself on the back, right?

Winterizing

2008-09-25T12:54:00.004-04:00

I apologize for the lack of posting lately, must try to be better. There was really nothing exciting to report in my world other than I had a sick, snotty-nosed, teething kiddo all week and that has pretty much been occupying my time.

In the way of being more green I have finally convinced my husband to turn off the air conditioning. I know, its the END of September (ahem, we live in Pennsylvania. Northeast Pennsylvania to be exact. I know some people who have already turned their HEAT on.) Anyhow after a battle of wills the AC is finally off and the windows are open and the house smells of fresh, fall air. Of course, I have to put up with my husband storming around snorting his nose dramatically in a not-so-subtle attempt to let me know open windows irritate his allergies. Honestly...I don't care. I love, love, love fresh air and I get, literally, a few days a year to enjoy a breeze flowing through the house, since G2 insists that air be on until October, and the first nice spring day of the year usually finds him giddily adjusting the thermostat to "cool", caressing it like an old friend.

But what does this have to do with anything?? Well its gotten me thinking about ways to lower our bills in the winter...winterizing, if you will. We have a large house, and gas is expensive...so anywhere to cut costs in the winter is golden. My ideas so far:

1. Close the flues to the fireplaces. We don't plan on using them ever, at least for the next 5 years or so, for several reasons. Mainly, it only heats the general vicinity--so either the living room or the basement. Its mostly for ambiance in a house this size that has an open layout, in my opinion. Most importantly though, we have a 1 year old. He is just not at the age that I can teach him NOT to touch the fireplace. Even if we only use it when he's not around, there's still always a chance of something happening. Its better to just...not use them. And closing the flues will keep cold air from entering our house.

2. Close up the rooms we aren't using on a regular basis. This is really just the guest bedroom, and the basement. The basement is a tough one, because its a wonderful, great big space, but it operates on electric heat, so its like paying for 2 heating bills. We basically turn it on when we have company and we might want to utilize the area. I realize as my son grows, we will probably need to keep the heat on down there in the winter, since that's where the toys seem to be gravitating to. But for now--heat on an as-needed basis.

3. Fix the weather-stripping on the front door. Anyone who's come to our house in the past 2 years has probably been whacked in the face with black rubber weather stripping that hangs down. Ghetto, I know. And not very conducive to preventing drafts.

4. Discuss window treatments with my husband. This is another questionable issue. We have NO blinds or drapes of any kind in our house, save for my baby's room. The house faces a beautiful valley, and the view is what makes this house unique and special. The entire front of the house is huge windows and doors; it's open and airy and really--breath-taking. However, part of me wonders if we had heavy drapes that could be closed at night, would it cut down on the energy needed to heat the house? Would it really save us that much? Enough to be worth the cost of good quality and aesthetic drapes? My surroundings matter to me--I can't stand clutter, ugliness, mismatched things, or yucky drapes. If I'm going to be covering up a stellar view, I want something nicer than velvet drapes from Value city on a metal rod, know what I mean?

The view I don't want to cover up...

5. Once again, go through our bills and see which ones can be cut back. Most of the time this is the cable and cell phone bills.

One area that we already do pretty well in is not abusing the heat. This is mainly because my husband apparently radiates heat from his own body, and thus needs nothing more. Our thermostat is never above 68. I keep my son's bedroom door shut at all times, and this keeps his room nice and snug. He is too busy to notice how cold it is anyhow, and we just dress accordingly.

So that's my start. Any other suggestions would be appreciated!

This Week's CVS...

2008-09-16T08:21:00.003-04:00

OK, so this week I think I actually got the most bang for my buck, but--since I used all my ECB's--won't that put me right back where I started next week?? My friend Julie is also trying out this CVSing, and is running into the same problem. Nonetheless, here's my tally (sorry no picture this week, I totally forgot before I put everything away. Um, you'll just have to use your imagination.

This week I made two separate purchases. I didn't intend to, but apparently you cannot purchase cold and sinus medication unless you go to the pharmacy and show ID. Although, I think the chances that you're running a meth lab are greater if you're over 18, but whatever. It worked to my advantage as I got $3 in ECB's back for my main purchase. I understand now why people make multiple purchases in 1 trip...though I'm not sure I'd do that. I already feel like the annoying coupon lady. Anyhow onto the tally...

Transaction #1

Aleve Cold and Sinus 10-pack: Regularly $6.29/On sale for $3.99 with card/Received $3.00 ECB=Total spent .99.

Transaction #2

(2) Boxes of cheerios: On sale for 2/$5.00, plus coupon for $1 off 2=$2.00 apiece
(1) Box Malt o Meal cereal: Regularly $1, on sale for .49 with card
(1) CVS brand Ziploc bags, quart size: on sale for .49 with card
16 pack of batteries: Regularly $15 and change/on sale for $7.99/coupon for $2.oo off=$5.99
I also got (no deals on these): a package of Crayola kids paint, a roll of wrapping paper, and a sheet of stickers for part of a birthday gift.

Then, used $10.00 in ECBs and the coupons mentioned above, for a total expenditure of $12.03. Not too bad, considering the batteries alone normally cost more than that. And, my "total saved" on the bottom of the receipt says $25.40. I received 2 coupons at the register--one for $1 off Colgate, and one for $5 off a $30 purchase--but, I need to use it by next Monday. So, we shall see...

Yardsalin'

2008-09-15T12:47:00.004-04:00

So, this weekend I had a yard sale with my friend Bree and her mom.

I have wanted to have a yard sale for quite a few years. Just never had any idea how to go about it, and where I currently live is not the most desirable location...back road that no one travels on except people who live here, and a long steep driveway that would probably deter customers. Or, they'd walk down and then have a heart attack walking back up, and that would just be a mess. So no yard sale for me.

But, my friend was having one and since she knew what she was doing in terms of advertising, putting up signs, and pricing, I figured I would haul all my stuff over to her house and join in on the money-making. Here are a few things I learned this weekend:

1. Having a yard sale is a shitload of work. A few weeks of getting stuff together. Pricing everything. Loading up my husband's truck with everything. Unloading at Bree's house. Storing everything. Bringing it out and packing it back up 3 days in a row. Going to get tables (which a friend of hers was kind enough to lend us.) Making and hanging up signs. A lot of work. I do realize that it would not be as much work if I was having it at my own house, but still.

2. Having a yard sale during hurricane season is stupid. After postponing one weekend and wavering for 3 days over this past one, we finally took the plunge and it was a bit of a gamble that sort of paid off. Friday was great for the first two hours...then it grew cold, blustery, and drizzly...eventually turning into a steady rain. Which meant moving EVERYTHING inside. Did I mention that we each have a toddler? So, doing all that while chasing after two cranky munchkins. Saturday we had better luck, and ironically, Sunday--the most beautiful day of the weekend--was the least profitable.

3. People buy weird stuff. While no one wanted to buy any of the nicer jewelry we had, they snatched up the cheap costume jewels like it was candy. Large ceramic elephants from Bree's grandmother's house sold much better than brand new bedding sets and practically brand-new fishing boots. People bought up the cheap, ugly, cracked picture frames but no one wanted the stunning, well-made, multi-photo Crate&Barrel frames. I find this puzzling.

4. Our baby items didn't sell very well. Also puzzling, since I always thought that was one of the big-ticket yard sale items. I myself purchase baby items at yard sales.

5. You have to get up really freaking early to prepare each morning. Especially if you have to travel to the yard sale. Like, 5 in the morning early. Yuck.

6. It was a lot of freaking work. (Oh wait, did I say that?)

So the grand total for the event was $125.00 (for me, Bree and her mom each made roughly the same.) Now, this is great. But was it worth all that time and effort? Probably spent at least $20 of that on supplies, breakfasts, gas, etc. And now I need to make two more trips (to Goodwill and to the consignment shop) as well as storing the stuff I didn't sell that I may want to try and sell at a future yard sale.

I do feel it was worth it, despite the hassle. Had it not rained I think Friday would have been a lot more profitable. It was fun to hang out with my friend, and our kids got to play together a whole bunch. Most importantly, I got rid of "most" of my big, space-taking items like butt ugly lamps (which were snatched up right away), flower boxes, old stereos, a kid's archery set, etc etc.

And, next time we could always try my husband's idea of offering free beer with each purchase to increase sales. I tried to point out that yard sales generally start at the butt-crack of dawn (aka not prime drinking hours) but he seemed too proud of his suggestion to bother listening...

This Week's CVS Adventure...

2008-09-09T08:08:00.004-04:00

I'm still feeling as though I don't have the hang of this CVS thing...I am "saving" and getting good deals, but I'm not exactly spending in the single-digit dollar amounts. Nonetheless, here is my tally and what I saved:

(3) Clorox products--on sale for 2/$5 and I had a coupon for buy 2/get $1 off. So (3) Clorox products (which I use in every room of the house) for $6.50.
(2) Huggies Wipes refills 184 ct--on sale for $5.99 and I had (2) $.50 off coupons. So the equivalent of 6 things of wipes for $11.
(2) Dry Idea deodorant--on sale for $2.99, plus $2.00 in ECB earned per deodorant. So $.99 a piece and I got $4.00 back. Not bad.
(1) bag of Chex Mix--on sale for $1 and I had a $1 off coupon...FREE!!
(1) Revlon Nail polish--on sale for $3.99 and $3.00 in ECB earned. So, nail polish for $.99.
(1) Malt-o-Meal Cereal--on sale for $1 and I had a $1 off coupon...FREE!!
(1) Infants Motrin--had a coupon for $1 off, so total was $5.79.

I also purchased a bottle of water, a container of sidewalk chalk, and package of hair barrettes, none of which were on sale.

So, the tally...

Total spent: $51.63

Total saved: $19.56

Total ECB earned: $7.00

I still feel like I'm not doing this right. Granted, we've been spending "slightly" less at the grocery store. I'm not sure how I could do better, except maybe I could have...

1. Bought more of the deodorant since its the kind I use, and I was basically getting it for $.99. And then I'd have a ton of ECBs for next time.

2. Bought more Malt-o-Meal and Chex mix. I used Internet coupons for those, and I'm not sure if I could have printed out more than 1 of each. And to be honest--I generally don't eat sugary cereals.

Any other ideas??????????????

Bath and Body Works...

2008-09-05T12:11:00.002-04:00

One final note for the weekend...Bath and Body Works is have a Buy 1 Get 1 sale on their Wallflower Plug-ins and Refills. The sale is definitely online though I am not sure about the stores...

Yep, I know. Plug-in home fragrances that come in plastic boxes are probably not the greenest option. But they make my home smell amazing, and frankly, I think that's important. Considering I have a dog, a baby, and a husband, sometimes a little extra fragrance in the air is necessary.

They are a little pricey though, $12.50 for a two-pack of refills, or for the plug-in and 1 refill, so I try to buy them when there's a sale, which seems like every day at B&BW. But they last about a month and the smell stays strong the whole time. And, since I tend to buy food-related scents like Warm Apple and Pumpkin, my house smells like I've been baking delectable treats all day...but I haven't! Doesn't that make me thinner? :)

Have a great weekend!

The $10 Dog Grooming

2008-09-04T12:05:00.004-04:00

I recently discovered a hidden gem called The Yuppy Puppy. Its a self-serve dog wash in Mountain Top, PA...much like an old school car wash where you park the car and manually wash it with better equipment than you have in your driveway.

As you can see from the picture I have a Labrador retriever. I've honestly never thought of labs as being a breed that "needed" grooming, but over the recent years the amount of hair this guy leaves on my floors made me start to consider that professional help was needed. My dog was shedding enough hair to make a whole new dog. Like, every single day.

I would estimate an average Labrador grooming to be in the $50-$60 range--I'm sure depending on the location it could be much lower or much higher. They don't need a hair cut, just a good washing and drying with a tool called the blower. Of course, I've never bothered to take my dog to a groomer for several reasons. (1) I didn't want to pay $50 for him to have a professional blow-dry when I don't even do that for myself and (2) I'm perfectly capable of tying him to the deck and hosing him down, or even heaving his body into the tub and doing it that way. Yeah, its a mess and yes he tends to bolt right after the bath, leaving me with either a soaked hallway or a clean dog rolling in the mud. But hey, all that? Its free!

A friend turned me on to the Yuppie Puppy by stating that she was "amazed" at the reduction of hair on her floor after taking her 3 rottweilers (another heavy shedding breed) to the Yuppie Puppy. She intrigued me by proclaiming the "blower" to be the best tool on earth.

Since I worked in the animal field in my former, pre-mom life, I know groomers have big hoses that blow out hot air with heavy force, but I honestly always thought that the purpose was to quickly dry the dog. Which it does...but it also removes about half of the animal's body fur as well. And labs really need it. I mean really, look at this guy. Looks like a grizzly bear.

Anyhow, the best part of this entire experience is the cost. Like a car wash, you get 10 minutes for 5 dollars, and then (if you're like me) you speed-wash the dog in order to have maximum blowing time. So for $10 and in 20 minutes I had a brand new dog. And no mess in my house. I'm not saying he liked it, but he doesn't like bathing no matter where it happens.

I'm not sure how popular these self-serve dog washes are but if Mountain Top, PA has one, I'm pretty sure most areas have them somewhere. I think its my new favorite thing. Ten bucks, clean dog, less hair=less vacuuming for me! Or rather, less vacuuming for my Roomba. But that's another story for another day.

Thinner, Greener, Richer...Or Not??

2008-09-03T12:58:00.000-04:00

After a month or so of doing this thinner-greener-richer thing, I thought it would behoove me to make a list of all the ways I am succeeding...and of all the ways I can improve. And anyhow, this week's been a bit of a bust due to recovering from the 3-day holiday while dealing with a sick little baby. This is a post I've been working on for awhile...

Ways That I Am Healthier

I run. I don't run far but I do run. And I push a bad ass jogging stroller with a 21# troll riding shotgun.

I eat healthy...during the week. Usually. My philosophy is everything in moderation. This includes healthy eating. I can subsist on cereal, salad, and a low-carb dinner (thanks to gluten-free hubby, we don't really have bread, pasta, or anything fried ever) as long as I know I can indulge in steak or french fries once a week...

I get a massage once a month. I cannot stress this enough massage is soooo good for you!! It sounds so indulgent, right up there with getting your nails done or getting a blow-out, but its so worth it. Besides relieving pain, it also relieves tension, stress, promotes circulation...the list goes on and on. Not to mention an hour of gabbing with my massage girl is beneficial to my mental health. (And, in case your mind is in the gutter like my husband's, at a reputable massage place there is no happy ending.

Ways I Am Not Healthy

See above mentioned factor of going hog wild on the weekend. Not only does this apply to the consumption of items such as cookies, french fries, and vodka, it also includes the occasional cigarette. I'm bowing my head in shame.

I don't stretch before or after running. I know this is terrible for my muscles. I have no excuse except pure laziness. But hey, I'm running. Don't I get points for that?

Ways I Am Green

I recycle. Sounds like a no-brainer, but move to my county where the lady at the municipal building (you know, the place you get the recycling bins?) doesn't know where you take them. Where no one recycles except people who have a curbside pick-up. Where attempts to contact officials about where to recycle lead to dead ends, phone numbers no longer in service, and returned emails. I'll stop now, but suffice it to say it took me a damn long time to figure out how to recycle here.

My house is well-situated for solar energy. Mind you, we haven't taken that step yet. But we will. Its in the 10-year plan, promise.

I hang 75% of my clothes out to dry. Is this why my friend Ray calls me a hippie? Whatever. I'm saving on an estimated 5 hours of dryer use a week.

I wash clothes in cold water 99.9% of the time.

I limit the use of heating elements (hairdryer, curling iron, regular iron) as much as possible. Ask me how many times I've ironed clothing in the past year and I can answer you with one hand!

I have canvas shopping bags and I reuse the plastic ones for waste can liners, cat litter, and diapers.

I use the special light bulbs. I don't know what they're called, but we have them.

I've taken to burning paper. Just recently, I cleaned out our files and a year's worth of financial history became the kindling for a weekend fire. Sweet.
We garden. Well, Gabe gardens.
Ooo and I reuse my Ziploc bags:)

Ways I Am Not So Green

We drive gas hogs. Attempts to turn one of them into a Subaru failed miserably due to the trade-in value of an '05 Jeep with a hemi being astronomically low. It just didn't make financial sense.

We have a giant house.

I don't necessarily look for recycled or organic products.

We run our air conditioning at 68 a degrees. For a 4000 square foot house. In the interest of preserving harmony in my marriage, I am just going to have to let this one go. I will say, however, that I've stood my ground on turning it off during the day when just G3 and I are at home.

My canvas shopping bags spend more time hanging empty in the laundry room than they do carrying groceries around...ooops.

Ways I Am Richer (Saving Money)

I'm still learning, but I think that following money-saving-mom's principles I'm going to be able to gradually save us something a little more worthwhile than a couple bucks here and there.
A lot of my green efforts also save money, especially limiting the use of electricity, trying to condense my driving by running all errands one day of the week, and heck--even the grocery store rewards me something like .2 cents for using the canvas shopping bags:)
Ebay. I would say I've sold well over $1000 of "stuff" since first discovering the magic of Internet auctions. Most of this is stuff that I would have just eventually thrown out or it would have festered in our closets for years.
Blogging. Okay, haven't made any money here yet...but I will!!

Ways I Am Not Richer (Not Saving Money)

Gabe and I are definitely consumers. We see something we want and we can afford it, so...we just get it. Recent indulgences that were unnecessary in my opinion include numerous items from truckaddons.com and multiple clothing items at Old Navy. And I'm pretty sure there's a Nikon D80 in my near future. (But hey, at least that's in the interest of documenting our lives...)
A lot of green habits are actually more expensive. Such as, investing in a more economical car or a hybrid. Or installing solar panels. Or purchasing a new, more efficient dishwasher. Oh well...
Sometimes, playing this CVS game, I feel like I'm spending more to get the savings than I would if I was just going to the grocery store and buying my shampoo and tampons there.

So there you have it. My successes and failures.

Greener? Yes! Richer? Not Exactly...

2008-08-28T15:51:00.002-04:00

As mentioned, our dishwasher up and crapped out on us on Monday. My impulse-purchasing husband arrived home Monday night with a receipt from Lowe's and the news that a new dishwasher (picked out to match our relatively new refrigerator) would be arriving this week.

So, while it was certainly an unexpected purchase, I am happy to report our new dishwasher is relatively energy efficient (according to the little yellow Energy Guide) and will most certainly be more efficient than the old one. So in the long run, maybe it will make us richer...

No ideas on how this bad boy can make me thinner though...

Crazy Coupon Lady, Part II

2008-08-25T14:44:00.004-04:00

I didn't really make a goal this week. I can tell you I initially thought of stepping up my running a notch or two, but then it was raining this morning and I lost my motivation. Then, while I was contemplating just working on my old goals, my dishwasher promptly crashed and burned. Which means hand-washing until we figure out what's wrong with it or the end of time, whichever comes first. Already I've probably used 354 gallons of hot water, and its only lunchtime.

However, I am continuing on my crusade to save money by playing the CVS game and couponing. I have no personal goal this week that is going to make me skinny, earthy or rich, but I thought I would share my "score" at CVS this week. I'm actually not 100% convinced it was a score, but I am starting to see how the "CVS game" can work for me, too...

First, the loot:

Next, the tally:

(2) Red Zone Deodorant (CVS special, coupon)

(1) Huggies 52ct package (CVS special, coupon)

(1) 24ct Swiffer wet (CVS special)

(1) 2 pack Optifree contact solution (CVS special, coupon, earned ECB)

(2) 24ct Crayola crayon packs (buy one get one free!)

(2) Colgate toothpastes (coupon, CVS buy one get one free!)

(2) 24ct packs CVS brand batteries (buy one get one free!)

(1) 18ct box Playtex tampons (CVS special, coupon, earned ECB)

(1) Gillette body wash (coupon)

(1) Mesh body puff

So--overall I spent $72.32 and I saved $34.15. I earned $6 in ECBs and my quarterly "rewards" (which I can will get after Oct 1st) is at $21. With the exception of the manly mesh body sponge (requested by my husband) I either had a coupon, got the item on sale, or earned ECB's. The best deal was definitely the diapers--I basically saved $5 on them. The Crayons will be great as stocking stuffers or a small gift for one of the 547 children I know, and everything else falls in the category of things-we-use-regularly. I think having a stockpile in the closets is going to be nice...

I should also point out that after CVSing I hit the grocery store...and only spent $42! I garuntee you that I will need to go again at some point this week for things like milk and bread, but from stocking up the last couple weeks I really only needed to get things for dinner and fresh foods. Not too shabby.

And, before anyone gets their panties in a wad, I am quite aware that a number of my CVS purchases are decidedly not green...particularly the diapers and the Swiffer cleaning cloths. I do try to reserve the use of the Swiffer to days I'm pinched for time, or for quick clean-ups that don't require mixing a whole bucket of mop water. As for the diapers...my friends Julie and Jenny braved the cloth diaper waters and there are now two less babies in the world contributing their shit into our landfills. Um, I'm living vicariously through them?

Until next time...

Failing Miserably, Part II

2008-08-21T08:03:00.002-04:00

Okay so maybe I need to change the focus of this blog. Instead of it being all about how I'm changing my life, one small step at a time, maybe it should be about how I'm totally NOT doing this, despite good efforts. Hey, at least that's funnier right?

Don't get me wrong, I'm still on the quest to be a size 4, living in a house with solar panels paid for by my oh-so-witty and endearing blog, which is full of fantastic photographs (of which we have none right now due to my recently purchased camera being sent back. Oh and did I mention my son is thisclose to taking his first steps and my camera--and only means of video--is still en route to Connecticut. Yeah.)

Anyhow, yesterday was my day to go to CVS, and since I have to go a little bit out of my realm to get there, I decided to go grocery shopping at the Giant grocery store that was in the same plaza. And while I was there I was going to hit the Dollar Tree because it was conveniently located in between CVS and Giant. That was my first mistake. Read below for more...

Mistakes Made in the Interest of Trying to be A Frugal, Coupon-Clipping Mom

1. There was no reason for me to go to the Dollar Tree. There was nothing there I needed, and I was immediately overwhelmed by all the cheap cheap cheap merchandise and bright colors. I was also overwhelmed by how many people were like, hanging out there. Just standing in the aisles talking and not moving aside when it was clear that I needed to get by. And then I got accosted by the Strange-Man-Who-Won't-Stop-Talking-To-You. You know him. He's usually found at bars (and apparently Dollar Tree) and strikes up a boring, endless conversation about something he thinks he has in common with you. And while he blabs (in this case) on and on about his 20 month old granddaughter and the perils of being so tall (he was at least 8 feet) I smiled and nodded and prayed that he'd go away. He didn't, so I snatched 2 little books for G3 and a pack of sponges and got in line. Money spent: $3 and change.

2. But before Dollar Tree, I went into CVS with a purpose. I had a list--all for things that were either on sale at CVS and I had a coupon for, or free. As in, my "Free CVS-Brand Ibuprofen". Of course, I couldn't find it, and as I was checking my coupon again to make sure that's what it was for, I noticed it was expired anyhow. Great. I did manage to score some Puffs tissues for about 0.60 cents each, so I guess that was a success. I got 3 boxes of tissues, a pack of batteries, and two Gerber graduate products for $13.00. But I earned no extra bucks. And I practically needed a bicep replacement after carrying my 21# child around for 20 minutes. (Side note: teach kid to walk before next CVS trip! But not before camera is repaired and returned.)

3. Finally, to Giant. Since I usually shop at my rinky-dink IGA (it's close, friendly, and decently priced, even though the selection is a bit limited) I was immediately entranced by rows upon rows of gorgeous produce, meat and cheese selections fit for a king, and the biggest wall of bread I've ever seen. I was shocked, however, at how much more expensive this store was. I will confess now that I went in for:

Items to make bean salad for a party

Dinner for the evening

Milk

Bread

New Swiffer Sweeper (yes I know this lends serious doubts to my commitment to greenness, but I have a 4000 sqare foot house--yep, more doubts--and 2 animals and a child. I am currently unwilling to give up Swiffer.)

Tilex.

Do you know what I came out with? $86.00 worth of food!! Clementines--my favorite, but expensive--type of fruit. They only come in that big wooden box, so even if I eat 5 a day they usually go bad before I can finish. (Really, aren't you impressed by how little I waste?) Oh, and ribs, anyone? Hey, Money Saving Mom says you should cook to please your husband! Even though he cooks to please me, if he wants to make barbequed spare ribs for dinner, I'm hardly going to argue with him. After all, he's my husband.

I was also entranced with the bread selections...and amazed that most were around $3 a loaf. Is that how much bread is everywhere?? Unfortunately, while trying calculate how to get the best bang for my buck I was interrupted when Strange-Man-Who-Won't-Stop-Talking-To-You showed up, now with his very-much-a-teenager daughter and 20 month old granddaughter. He smiled like we were long-lost friends, having migrated together from the Dollar Tree to Giant, and launched into a spiel about how expensive bread was. Yep, I got it buddy. In my haste I probably grabbed the most expensive loaf and exhaustedly high-tailed it out of there.

So, I think I need to go read more blogs and learn more about frugality. I don't think that the living-on-$35-a-week will work in our household where G2 insists on cooking the same kind of food all the Food Network stars do. I mean, this is the man who scoffed at me last night when I asked what duck con fit was. Who also happens to be gluten-free. I don't think he's going to settle for Hamburger Helper and generic canned peas.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still on my quest, and I'm still going to work at the coupon thing and play the CVS game and try to take advantage of deals. But maybe I just need to make a general effort as opposed to a specific goal? Must marinate that thought while I cut up clementines and left over spare ribs for my son for breakfast.

Free Stuff? Sure, Sign Me Up!

2008-08-20T07:55:00.002-04:00

So I'm starting to realize that my blog isn't going to take off in a week and I'll suddenly be rich enough to support my family on blogging alone like Dooce. I think you need something along the lines of 1000 hits a day to earn just pennies with AdSense...and (excuse me while I lower my head in embarrassment) if you look at my counter I think I'm still under 100. Sigh.

Much of the reading and research I'm doing about blogging is teaching me that (a) it takes a long time to get up and running and get an established readership and (b) one of the best ways to do that is by reading other people's blogs and commenting in hopes that they will read yours and, if they like it enough, post it on their blog. Then their readers just might notice your catchy title and check out your blog...and become your reader. See how it all works??

In the interest of networking a little, as well as pushing some traffic in the direction of a few other bloggers, I thought I'd post a few links to some free stuff. Money Saving Mom has a post of links (each week? every now and then?) where people post links of free things they're giving away on their blogs. Check it out...

* CVS Giftcard: This blogger is giving away a $25 CVS giftcard. All you have to do is leave a comment or mention her giveaway on your blog (done and done!) http://newlyweds.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/25-cvs-giftcard-giveaway

* Another CVS Giftcard: Here is another blogger doing virtually the same thing!!
http://savinmaven.typepad.com/the_savin_maven/2008/08/enter-to-win-a.html

* Target Giftcard: This girl, Kim, asked for ideas of what to pack for a picnic lunch to the beach...and in return she's doing a giveaway of a Target giftcard of mystery value (somewhere between $1 and 25$)
http://kimzkitchen.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/i-need-ideas-mystery-target-gift-card-giveaway/

* 1 Year Subscription to Sittercity.com: This is my favorite--a year's subscription to an online babysitting network. I sooo hope I win this one:) Our babysitter Katie was found through www.babysitters.com and she was awesome (but unfortunately only around for this summer, boo.) Anyhow, here is the link...
http://momminitup.com/?p=860

I Cleaned out the Tupperwear Drawer...Go Me!

2008-08-19T19:34:00.007-04:00

It's only Tuesday but, um, so far my efforts at reorganization are pitiful. As in, the following:

Messy, Unorganized Tupperware Drawer

Neat and Tidy Tupperware Drawer

To be honest, this endeavor took me a grand total of 5 minutes--and only that long because my little G3 was helping (read: whipping out lids and flinging them like Frisbees, then retrieving like a family dog, and finally placing them into my outstretched hands.) Why is the Tupperware drawer so damn difficult to keep straight in the first place? See below:

Moments After the Great Re-Organization, A Small Hand Appears...

That's why. Oh well, what childhood would be complete without one's very own drawer of unbreakable and non-life threatening items to toss about?

My other reorganization efforts, yet to be attempted, include the following locations--pantry, laundry room, and under the sink:

I have made a promise to myself that these three areas will be neatened and pleasing to the eye by Friday (color-coding and alphabetizing is unlikely.) Finding time will be trickier since my son's nickname this week is Baby-No-Nap and I don't think his assistance in rearranging the Clorox and Cascade would behoove either of us. I cannot promise after pics due to sending my camera off to be replaced or repaired--whichever gift Sony decides to repay me with.

So, at the near halfway point of the week, I have accomplished...tidying up the Tupperware drawer. Whoo hoo! I feel thinner, greener, and oh so much richer already! (Oh yeah, and running twice, doing about 700 loads of laundry, and round the clock tending to Baby-No-Nap who is also being dubbed Baby-Whines-A-Lot-For-No-Reason. Okay, he's teething, he has a reason. Still, tough on Mommy.)

Side Note: Yay for spell-checker!! I have apparently been spelling Tupperware "tupperwear" all these years. Nice. I'll take this moment to inform everyone that I actually graduated from college with a bachelor's degree. Just in case you were wondering.

Couponing My Way Into Week 5

2008-08-17T16:33:00.007-04:00

My coupon clipping habits of the past pretty much consisted of cutting lots of coupons and letting them fester in a plastic envelope for months (years?) past the expiration dates. Or, cutting lots of coupons for things I don't normally buy and actually using the coupons...and then not really using the items. I even subscribed to the Sunday edition of the newspaper for a time only to realize that no coupon was worth walking to the top of my very long, very steep driveway clad in pajamas. In the middle of the winter. Six months pregnant.

After reading a few posts of Money Saving Mom's regarding couponing and utilizing rewards programs at certain stores such as CVS and Walgreen's, I've decided that I need to give this a go. Her philosophy is (in a very rough nutshell--you should really go read her blog if you find yourself oddly drawn to saving money by snipping pieces of paper, as I am) that stocking up on items you routinely use when they are on sale AND you have coupons is the way to go. She apparently feeds her family on $35 a week using this method and while I'm not that ambitious (see previous post's confession of spending $26 on sushi) I definitely think we could reduce our weekly grocery bill by stockpiling certain items.

I gave this a half-hearted attempt last week. I revived my CVS extra-care card, and bought 2 12-packs of toilet paper on sale for $5.49 each. I also used a CVS coupon to save $2 and a regular coupon to save a $1.50. So now we have toilet paper galore, and God knows we need it in this household. I then hit JCPenney's with a $10 off a purchase of $10 or more and bought a pair of my favorite Carter's fuzzy fleece pjs for G3--they were on sale for $12.99. Finally, I made a side trip to our local grocery store and stocked up on baby stuff using the store coupons and buying stuff they had on sale that week. My total "savings" from the 3 stores equaled about $50 according to my receipts. Not too bad. Until G2 had a craving for sushi and I went outlet shopping with my sister. Ooops.

The downside--it did involve going a bit out of my way since the closest CVS is in downtown Hazleton, an area I generally do not frequent. I think a weekly trip will be worth it if I am purchasing a larger quanity of something at a great discount, plus you apparently rack up "extra care bucks"--basically cash off your next purchase. According to money saving mom, eventually you should be able to use this "overage" to avoid paying anything more than a few dollars.

This week's goal is to set the plan in motion. CVS has sales on 3 things I use AND have coupons for: Gerber foods, Duracell batteries, and tissues. So I will make the trip. G2 did the grocery shopping today, but I made the list based on what was on special and the coupons I had. Only one real big save--the store special was 4 boxes of General Mills cereal for $8.00--and I had a coupon for $1 off 3. So that was basically $7 for 4 large boxes of cereal; I eat cereal daily but I figure this is at least a month's worth.

I do have one other small mini-goal for the week...reorganization of my pantry and a few other insanely cluttered arenas. I don't think this task will make me thinner or greener...it might make me richer if, say, I find a lost $20 bill in the bottom of the tupperwear drawer (highly unlikely.) If nothing else, it will make me saner.

Water-Saving Week in Summation...

2008-08-16T19:50:00.004-04:00

The fact that I had to stop and think for a moment to remember what this week's goal was should tell you something, mainly--she was not committed! As mentioned before, I had a few roadblocks in my attempts to use less hot water--namely house guests. I will sadly have to consider this week a failure - however, I will attempt to continue on my journey of using less hot water in the future. Stay tuned.

Other goals met? I exercised 3 times (well, let's be ambitious and say 4 times in the event that I go running tomorrow.) I definitely did not drink 3 or even 2 liters of water everyday. I did hang most of the laundry out to dry, so I get bonus points for that (right?)

Moving on to my fifth week...I'm going to assign myself some type of money-saving goal, based on some ideas from Money Saving Mom. I've already started trying some of her techniques, but again, my busy week got in the way. It doesn't really compute if I shopped and saved a bunch on Monday, but then spent even more than what I saved on sushi and baby clothes, does it? I've also got some serious home organization needs, so perhaps a little side-goal? I'll let you know on Monday. Right now the track and field portion of the Olympics is on and it's oddly entertaining...

Failing Miserably

2008-08-13T08:07:00.005-04:00

Things NOT To Do When Using Less Hot Water Is One's Weekly Goal

1. Have house guests 4 of the 7 nights of the week. With my cousin here Sunday and Monday night, and my sister here tonight and tomorrow, that makes for a minimum of 4 extra showers. And, since I would never ask my guests to curb their bathing time that means 4 normal to long showers.

2. Allow house guests to do the dishes. Don't get me wrong, I certainly appreciated the help cleaning up after dinner. However, my cousin let the water run full blast on the hottest setting the entire time she was hand washing all the serving plates, pans, and baby bottles. And since we were gabbing away, this took longer than if she had just been washing dishes alone. But hey, as they say, don't kick a gift horse in the mouth--I wasn't going to critique someone's water-saving skills while that someone was washing my dishes!

3. Decide to do a load of pure whites for the first time in about 2 years. I'm generally laundry-challenged, and I can afford to be thanks to having a newer, higher-tech washer and dryer. I usually just separate "dark" clothes (i.e. navy, black, red, etc) from "light" clothes (i.e. any color that won't bleed into the whites I throw in with them.) But every once in a great while I have a complete load of solid whites and, well, I kind of like the smell of them being washed in hot water with a little bleach. So sue me.

I'm not sure that I will even continue with this goal, though at least I learned that running the hot water prior to running the dishwasher is economical, and that hand washing dishes from breakfast and lunch was probably not saving me shit. Other goals are on track--exercising, water intake, and less dryer usage, so the week isn't a total bust so far.

Better planning next time!

Dishwasher vs. Sink

2008-08-11T08:46:00.002-04:00

So I did a bit of research over cheerios with G3, and I found quite a few forums of argument over which method is more economical. Here is a passage from thriftyfun that kind of sums it up:

RE: Handwashing vs. The Dishwasher - Which is more economical?
Post By (Guest Post) (04/17/2006)
A friend who is a plumber told me this."If you wash dishes by hand three times a day, breakfast, lunch, supper with a full sink of hot soapy water you will use more water then using your dishwasher once a day"."Your electricity will be about the same as you are using less hot water from the tank and if you don't need to heat the water for the dishwasher it is equivalent. However, this is with most newer dishwashers".The other thing is you should always run your water in the kitchen sink until is hot before you turn your dishwasher so it will be hot, and use air dry if at all possible.Hope this helps you out!

The general consensus is that unless you have a very small family or make very few dirty dishes, the dishwasher is the way to go. This makes me very happy, since I don't particularly like washing dishes by hand. Since the age of the dishwasher seems to play a part, I'm going to assume mine is less than 10 years old, which is how old our house is-the dishwasher was here when we bought the house.

I had not, however, heard about running your hot water prior to starting the dishwasher. Since dinner dishes are usually what fills it up, and there are always dinner dishes that HAVE to be handwashed (aka pots and pans) this will work nicely for me. Hey, you learn something new everyday!

What's In Store for Week Four?

2008-08-10T15:22:00.003-04:00

First, a summation of water intake (week three's goal of 3 liters a day):

As mentioned, I discovered early on that 3 liters was pretty much impossible unless I was a camel, so I shot for 2 to 2.5. I did good Monday to Friday, but was worried that the weekend would hit me hard in terms of sticking to my goal. I was right to be concerned...

Saturday--liquid consumption equaled about 8oz of water, 4 beers over the course of the day, and multiple cups of sangria. Oops.

Sunday--so far liquid consumption consists mainly of coffee due to 13 month old being awake for two hours in the middle of the night and my total sleep only totaling about 3 hours. (Sangria of course had no effect on this mishap.)

Ok, so I'm going to keep filling the liter size bottle because I like it, but I have a feeling I should have aimed lower. Onto week four. I have another busy week coming up with three separate houseguests on different nights, a road trip for a much needed girls night out (sans children) and a family reunion. This week's goal will touch both the greener and richer sides of me; I'm going to attempt to use less hot water.

How am I going to do this?

First, showers. I do pretty much need a shower everyday, but my son does not. I mean, don't get me wrong, I bathe the little guy but he doesn't "need" a bath every single night. And since I don't wash my hair or shave my legs every single day, at least every other day for me can be a quick shower. Having a baby in the house has taught me that I can take a shower faster than I ever dreamed possible, and I will be capitalizing on this relatively new found skill. No word yet on my husbands attempts for shorter showers...and, um, he really can't afford to skip any.

Dishwasher. Must investigate whether hand washing small amounts of dishes throughout the day in order to avoid filling the dishwasher as fast (and thus reducing the amount of times said dishwasher needs to be run) is really saving hot water. More details on this later--lingering effects of sangria are going to make online self-education efforts poor for the rest of the day.

Washer. I pretty much wash everything in cold anyhow, so this shouldn't even require effort.

A general consciousness about letting water run (hot or not, but especially hot.) Or maybe do things like washing my hands and face with cold water...

Any other ideas? Operation Reduce Hot Water Usage begins tomorrow!

Water Water Water!

2008-08-08T12:19:00.003-04:00

As mentioned, I initially shared my idea of the weekly goals with my friends on my tightly knit mommy board. The mommy board consists of fifteen awesome, fabulous women that I connected with during my pregnancy. We all had babies in June and July of 2007, and have forged an incredible bond posting on our private forum. As expected, my girls jumped all over this idea. I initially thought that I would post a weekly goal and we'd all do the same one, but in reality this just didn't work. Basically, each girl kind of picked their own goal and we posted about them, encouraging one another and using the board as kind of a motivator.

Having individual goals has a huge upside of sparking new ideas for each of us. My third weekly goal was stolen from Julie, who made a goal for herself to drink more water. So, I decided that I would attempt to drink 3 liters of water a day.

Where did I get that number from? To be honest, last weekend my husband bought a liter bottle of water. So I had the empty bottle, it was big, and filling it three times a day seemed a decent amount. (I am in no way trying to pimp Poland Spring water, by the way, that just happened to be the brand G2 bought.)

How did I go? Well, 3 liters of water a day is a lot of freaking water. On Monday, I achieved my goal and felt that small animals could probably go swimming inside of me, as full of water as I was. It took an entire full pitcher of Britta water to fill my bottle. Becca, another mommy board girl, pointed out to me that 3 liters of water was something to the equivalent of 13 8 oz glasses...and that I'd probably be good with 2 liters. Good thing because by Tuesday night, at only at one and half liters, I was starting to rethink my goal.

It's now Friday. I have consumed an average total of 2.5 liters a day--meaning some days I actually drank 3, and others only 1. But not too bad overall. The challenge will really be the upcoming weekend. For some reason, plans and good habits tend fall wayside during the weekend. But I shall keep filling my liter bottle (which is becoming a bit ragged) and invest in a real reusable bottle sometime in the near future.

Oh, and previous goals? Well, I went running 3 times so far. Hoping to get a run in tomorrow morning and definitely a walk with friends on Sunday. Did 4 loads of laundry, 2 dryer runs. Not too shabby.

Week Two...A Greener Goal

2008-08-08T11:51:00.003-04:00

First I should clarify that the idea here is to carry over the goals from each week. I didn't really think of this aspect of my idea when I came up with it...I was so consumed with the whole thinner/greener/richer thing that I didn't think that by the end of a year of doing this, I was going to be pretty busy trying to keep up. I'm picturing my house in disarray, my child looking like an orphan and my husband moved on to another family, all the while I'm racing madly through each day, trying to keep up with 52 goals.

So clearly, not every goal is going to stick, at least not every week.

But for week two, it was highly attainable for me to keep up with my week one goal (exercise 5 times a week) and add in another one. I had a busy week with two road trips to visit old friends, which equals a lot of time spent packing, driving, and drinking (not all at once, of course.) Doing the exercise thing was still do-able...after all, I did it the previous week didn't I? But I decided to make my second weekly goal one that was less time consuming.

After learning that the dryer is one of the biggest contributors to the electric bill, I had made a half-hearted attempt to use it less. Basically all this meant is that I hung baby bibs on a pegboard in the laundry room, and laid out swimming towels or rugs to dry in the sun. Big whoop. I had intended all along to have a clothesline and, well, this was the week to make good on that attempt!

I don't own a drying rack, but I did find a ball of string, and the lower part of our house consists of beams that hold up the deck above it--perfect for stringing up a clothesline, I thought. I headed down and was delighted to discover hooks on each side of each beam--as if it was just meant for a clothesline! I tied up my twine and hung my very first load out to dry! I was so excited!

Unfortunately, I failed to consider two things. One, the location of my makeshift line was about as far from the laundry room as you can possibly get. Trying to get down the basement steps to go out this door with a full basket of wet clothes and keep a small child from sneaking down the stairs and possibly breaking his neck proved quite difficult. And two, the lovely flower boxes that decorate the outside of our deck are directly above the clothesline. So when G2 came home that evening and watered the plants, he also watered the freshly dried clothes (which I had failed to collect after seven hours because it was a pain in the ass.)

Ok. Onto plan B. There was nowhere just outside our laundry room door to put up a clothesline--its a brick patio. We also live on the side of a rocky mountain--so pounding stakes into the ground isn't desirable either. In the interest of sticking to my goal, I got my ball of twine and rigged up a ghetto clothesline strung between the patio light and the deckchairs. Hey, whatever works! In addition, adirondack chairs are great for drying items like towels, sheets, and dog blankets.

Overall assessment--First, for the exercise goal, I managed 5 times--although one of my walks was with some friends and we had tumblers of wine in hand. But I digress.

Second, I did 9 loads of wash this week and ran the dryer 3 times. Not too bad. I can't hang everything...I'm the kind of person who counts on the dryer to return my stretched out jeans and shirts to shape. And, I'm not really interested in ironing my husband's polo shirts for work when the dryer does just fine at getting out the wrinkles. And, nobody in our house is willing to put up with stiff, scratchy bath towels. But everything else--baby clothes, workout clothes, pajamas, wash rags, dishtowels, swimming towels, underwear--goes on the line. Or, as the case may be, the deck chairs...

My First Weekly Goal...Exercise 5 Times!

2008-08-08T11:16:00.002-04:00

Sounds pretty ambitious, huh? My very first goal to myself was to add in 30 minutes of exercise 5 of the 7 days of the week. This exercise would be on top of the nightly running my husband I attempt to do 2-3 nights of the week.

Since the entire purpose of this weekly-goal-adventure is to assign a small goal each week, in hopes of actually accomplishing it, you may be wondering why I picked something that seems so destined to fail. That's sort of like a New Year's Resolution that you'll quit smoking, or join a gym, or start eating healthy. Huge changes that rarely stick because--by nature--we humans are creatures of habit. And if your habit is eating Mars Bars for breakfast and fried chicken for dinner, you're not going to suddenly just switch to salads and granola without going into some sort of shock. Hence my idea that little baby steps will seem less daunting, and bit by bit I will become thinner, greener, and richer.

Back to the first goal. Let me start by giving you a brief but necessary history of the role of exercise in my life.

The First 28 Years--Pretty much non-existent. I have always been somewhat active. I grew up riding horses, I've always enjoyed hiking and walking, and I've taken a stab at fitness classes. Kickboxing lasted longer than spinning only because my friend Brooke was the instructor. If I didn't show up for class she was going to kick my ass. At various points between years 25 and 28 I belonged to different gyms. But my attempts at regular exercise were sporadic at best, and nothing ever really stuck.

Year 28-29--Had a baby. Got fat. Really fat.

Year 29-30--After realizing that 19 days of breastfeeding was not going to be enough to burn off 50 excess pounds, I started working out. Winter was approaching, and so the DVR became my new best friend. I DVR'd multiple workout shows and began, um, working out. I'm reluctant to call it that because my early efforts were pathetic. Pregnancy had wreaked havoc on what little strength and endurance I had had to begin with. My flab was my enemy. I can recall trying to do a Pilates move called a plank; you basically put yourself in the push-up position, but instead of your hands holding your weight, your forearms do. I couldn't do it. I was pathetic.

But little by little I did start losing weight. It took a lot of time--I believe I worked out for 7 weeks before I saw any real difference. Then, in March of this past year, my husband G2 up and decided to start running. Since his level of activity was even less than mine (pre-baby) I decided to join him. Note--I have never, and I do mean never run. I hated it at first. I still hate it sometimes. But its made a huge difference in a lot of aspects of my life.

Summer rolled in with weeks on end of 90 degree heat, and G2 was pretty tied up with his out-of-control vegetable garden. Our running became more sporadic. I noticed the effects...and I didn't like the way I was feeling. Going 4 days without exercise (okay 7 days) wasn't behooving me at all. I felt flabby. I felt lazy. I felt like if I kept up with the non-exercising I would be right back where I started. That a habit of daily exercise that had taken nearly a year to build could just disapear in a few weeks. And even though my highest weight was due to pregnancy, it didn't seem impossible that I could just float back to that scary number just by doing...nothing.

So, week one--add 30 minutes of exercise to 5 of the 7 days. I decided this would be in addition to running. As in, if we ended up running at night, sweet, added bonus. If not, I knew I had at least done 30 minutes of light exercise. I either walked in the morning (pushing my 21# son in his jogging stroller) or I did a DVR'd episode of Denise Austin.

How did it go, you ask? It went great! Deciding ahead of time to do this made it easier to stick to it. I also informed my friends on my mommy board of my plan, and they all jumped on the bandwagon (with their own goals) but it helped keep me on track. The comedic aspect of doing episodes of Denise Austin from the early 90's was enough to keep me going back for more. If you're interested, they air on Lifetime. Now obviously Denise knows her stuff, otherwise she wouldn't look the way she does and she wouldn't have a work-out empire. But, God love her, she has to be one of the cheesiest, and most uncoordinated work-out instructors I know. Even my one-year old laughs at her.

Final summation of week one--success! We shall see what week two brings...

Introduction

2008-08-08T07:55:00.011-04:00

Welcome to the world of attempting to improve and change your life...one small step at a time!

Sounds pretty cheesy, huh? Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Lindsay and I am a 30-something stay-at-home mom. I have a husband (we'll call him G2) and a son (known as G3). I have a dog and a cat. Back in my pre-mom life, I was a veterinary technician and did all kinds of fun stuff like animal anesthesia and venipuncture and other gory tasks. I live in Northeastern PA. I am a writer at heart.

I have quite a few blogs. I have one that is for family and friends, chock full of cute little baby stories about my 1-year old. I have one that is my "travel journal"--basically, instead of handwriting my memories while on vacation, I now blog about them. I have a pregnancy blog, which only lasted 9 months for obvious reasons. I have a secret, nobody-can-read-it blog that is in essence, my diary (though I confess I have not posted in that one for several years.) I also have a dream blog--a place I used to chronicle my dreams. Another ghost blog--there is only so much time to write.

Which brings me to this blog. I had an idea a few weeks ago, that a better way to accomplish the changes I want to see in my life would be to pick one small goal at a time, more specifically--one goal a week. My three major hurdles in life are being healthy (not just being skinny, but being HEALTHY), becoming more green, and saving money. As a stay-at-home-mom, my financial contribution to the house is pretty much limited to what I sell on EBay and the money I win at slot machines (which, to be honest, has only happened once--both because I don't really gamble and I'm not particularly lucky.)

A friend turned me on to moneysavingmom and I thought I'd give this blogging-for-profit thing a whirl. In the back of my mind I had lofty visions of writing about my goals each week and how my life was or was not changing little by little. Then at the end of the year I'd turn it into a book and publish it and the next thing you know, I'd be on Oprah's couch! But let's get real. Despite a lifelong goal of wanting to write a book, the early years of being a stay-at-home mom are probably not the ones I'm going to find lots of peace, quiet, time and concentration.

So, blogging it is! I welcome you to join me in my efforts to become healthier, greener, and richer...one small step at a time!